Connecter



E. N. LIGHTFOOT CONNECTER Filed Sept. 27. 1 20 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/ZZ E/Zfi/r 254% 10: 9 12;

June w, 1928 j 1,674,253

E. N. LIGHTFO'OT GONNECTER Filed Sept. 2'7. 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented dime l9, i928.

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EDWIN N. LIGHTFOQT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T THE CUTLER-HAMMER MFG. $0., 0F MEWAUKEE, 'Wllfi COl lSIN, A CORPOEA TION 0F WISCQNSIN.

CONNEGTER.

Application filed September 2?, 1920. Serial No. 412,958.

This invention relates to a connecter. The connecterto which the invention particularly applies comprises in general a tubular casing having a contactor positioned 6 therein.

The invention is particularly applicable to connecting .plugs or sockets attached to electric cords or conductors although not limitedto such use.

The objects of the invention are:

To providea highly, eilicient, simple and inexpensive connector of few parts easily and quickly assembled and disassembled for inspection and replacment of parts.

To provide a connecter, the insulating casing of which may be held together without screws, bolts or other means passing therethrough.

Toprovide a small compact connecter having conducting parts thoroughly insulated to protect users against injury.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the socket connector and a cooperating plug terminal;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the socket connector;

'Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal section through the connecter;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective of the connecter.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal longitudinal section through a connect/er, having a ledge in the casing for preventing lateral displacement of the contactor;

Fig. 8 is a top plan of one section of the casing; I

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8 with the other casing section in place thereon; v

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on line 10-10 of Fig. 8 also showing the other casing section;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal longitudinal section through a connector having two contactors; Fig. 12 is an end elevation of a eonnecter having two contactors; and

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of a connecter having three contactors.

' material.

Figs. lto 6 will first be described.

The connecter comprises a tubular contactor 1 and a tubular insulating casing 2. The contactor 1 is formed of two conducting elements or shoes 3 and 4, which are hinged together bya tongue and groove connection.

The conducting shoe 3 is provided with an opening 5 through which extends the rearward projection 6 of the conductin element 4, whereby the two shoes are hinge together. The forward end of the conducting elements 3 and 4 are arranged so that they cooperate to form a tubular socket.

groove 7. Thus the laterally bent free ends oi' the spring 9 embrace the two shoes of the tubular contactor and the spring resiliently holds the same in socket forming relation.

The shape of the spring is such that it occupies but little space. It is supported at a point removed from the contactin surfaces of the contactor, the legs oft e U- shaped spring are out of contact with the shoes, and the laterall extending ends are the only portions oft e spring which rest against the shoes at or near the contacting surfaces. Consequently, the shape andposition of the clamping ,and positioning spring 9 is such that it is protected against high heat, and the life thereof is prolonged.

The spring 9 yieldingly holds the contact shoes 3 and i in alignment in socket forming relation and yieldingly presses the shoes together.

When the. contact pin 8 is inserted in the socket contactor, the shoes thereof are forced apart against the action of the spring 9 and the shoes snap into place on the pin when the depression 7 of the contact/or slides into place in the depression in the contact pin 8. The tension of the spring 9 is Suficient to insure good electrical contact between the contact pin and the socket contactor.

When removing the connector from the contact pin, such force must ordinarily be employed to withdraw the depression 7 of the'contactor from the depression in the contact pin that contact between the pin and socket is broken rapidly thereby reducing the arcing between the same.

The rear extension of the conducting shoe 3 is provided with lateral projections or fins 10 which cooperate with the casing and centrally position the contactor therein.

The rear extension of the shoe 3 is also provided with a threaded opening for the reception of a terminal screw 12 by which a conductor or cord from a source of current supply may be connected with the cont-actor.

The rear extension of the conducting shoe 3 is provided with upstanding projections 13 which assist in preventing lateral displacement of the casing in one direction. Lateral displacement in the other direction is prevented by the flared opening at the end of the tubular or socket contactor.

The casing 2 is a tubular split casing made of insulating material. I

The casing has restricted openings 14 and 15 at the respective forward and rear ends. These restricted openings thus provide shoulders at each end of the casing which cooperate with the flared opening of the tubular contactor and the upstanding pro-' jections 13 thereof whereby lateral displacement of the parts of the insulating casing is prevented.

The inner wall of the insulating casing is provided with notches 16 for the reception of the fins 10 ofthe contactor whereby the contactor is centrally positioned within the casing and lateral and longitudinal displacement thereof is prevented.

The casing is resiliently held together by means of a split spring collar 17 which en1- braces the casingand rests in a circumferential peripheral groove 18 therein and clamps the split casing together.

The collar 17 is placed in position about the casing by sliding it over the end of the casing and moving it longitudinally thereon into the groove 18. This groove prevents accidental displacement of the resilient collar 17.

' The resilient metal clamping band 17 may be placed in position on the casing and removed therefrom without the use of tools, whereby access to the, conducting parts of the connecter may be had quickly.

B employing the clamping collar 17 for 1101 ing the casing together, the usual fastening screws extending through the eas- 1 ing are eliminated and no weakening openings through the wall of the casing are necessary. Thus the casing is stronger and.

newness more durable, and the conducting parts enclosed therein are more thoroughly insusides of the rear extension of the contact shoe 3 and cooperate in centrally positioning the contactor within the casing. Thus the walls or ledges 19 holdthe contactor against lateral displacement.

The upstanding projections 13 at one end and the flared opening at the other end of the contactor cooperate with the shouldered openings in the ends of the casing 2 and prevent longitudinal displacement of the cont-actor.

Projections 20 and cooperating depressions 21 in the opposing faces of the two parts of the casing cooperate with the resilient clamping collar 17 and hold the easing parts in cooperating enclosing position.

As illustrated in Fig. 10, the rear end 22 of the casing is made polygonal and larger in cross section than the forward end to provide a better gripping surface. This larger end also decreases the possibility of the accidental removal of the resilient clamp from the casing.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a connecter having two contactorspositioned between the two parts of the split insulating casing held together by a spring collar.

Fig. 13 shows a connecter in which the splitv insulating casing is arranged in three parts. This connecter is arranged to accommodate three contactors, each of which is positioned between adjacent parts of the insulating casing held together by a spring collar.

The'embodiments shown and described are for the purpose of illustration only. The drawings and description are therefore to be considered in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, for it is obvious that many modifications and adaptations will readily occur to and be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritent socket contact arranged within the cas ing having a lateral fin registering with the notch, said contact comprising parts hinged together and a loop spring having overlapping arms to embrace said parts, and resilient means holding the casing in enclosing position.

2. A quick detachable connecter comprising a two-part tubular casing, a two-part tubular contact arranged therein and having projections engaged by the casing parts to hold the contact against longitudinal displacement, said contact parts being hinged together and embraced by an elongated single loop spring, and a resilient split collar' encircling the casing and longitudinally removable therefrom.

3. A quick detachable connecter comprising a two-pa t tubular insulating casing having a notched inner wall and a wide circumferential depression in the outer surface thereof, a contact socket having hinged parts spring biased toward each other arranged within saidcasing and having projections registering with thenotches to hold the contact against longitudinal and lateral displacement, and a curved plate or band of corresponding width adapted to be forced into said depression for holding the casing in enclosing position. v 4. A connecter comprising a two-part tubular contact, one part having'an opening and the other a projection extending through the opening whereby the parts are hinged together, a wire loop having resilient arms engaging said parts externally for maintaining thesame in socket forming relation, and a split tubular insulating casing therefor. 1

5. A connecter comprising a two-part tubular contact, one part having an opening and the other a projection extending throu h the opening whereby the parts are hinge together, resilient arms supported 'by said hinge for maintaining the parts in clozsling socket forming position, and a tubular insulating'casing enclosing the contact and having a restricted opening at each end through which a conductor may extend.

6. A connecter having a two-part tubular cont-act, one part having an opening and the other a projection extending therethrqugh and forming therewith a hinged connection, a spring clamped within said hinge and having arm's engaging the respective parts of said contact, a split tubular enclosing casing for the contact, and resilient means for holding the casing in enposition. connecter having in combination a spli t tubular insulating casing, a two-part tubular plug-socket contact arran ed therein, a hinge connectionbetween said contact parts, and-a U-shaped springsecured by. said hinge connection, the arms of said spring 1 being inbent and adaptedto exteriorly engage and hold the contact parts in socket forming relation.

8. A connecter having in combination a split insulating casing, a two part hinged socket contactor, a U-shaped splring having its ,free ends bent to embrace t e respective contactor parts, and resilient means holding the casing inenclosing position.

9. A connecter having in combination a two part socket contactor, one part having an opening and the other a projection extending therethrough and forming therewith a hinged connection, a U-shaped spring engaged by and interlocked with the projection and having its free ends bent to embrace and hold the contactor parts in socket forming re1ation,,and a tubular insulating casing enclosing the same.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDN n. merroo'r. 

